Russia Confirms General's Death Following An-26 Crash in Crimea

On April 6, 2023, Russian authorities confirmed that Lieutenant General Alexander Otrushchenko was among those killed in the crash of an An-26 transport aircraft in occupied Crimea on March 31. This information was reported by the pro-Kremlin news agency Interfax-Russia.

Otrushchenko had served as the commander of the aviation corps of the Russian Northern Fleet since 2013 and had participated in Russian military operations in Syria. This information was corroborated by Andrei Chibis, the governor of the Murmansk region, where the Northern Fleet is based.

According to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the aircraft crashed in the mountains of the occupied peninsula, resulting in the deaths of all 29 military personnel on board. This incident marks one of the largest disasters for the Russian armed forces in recent times.

The death of Otrushchenko was first reported on April 2 by the BBC Russian service, which received confirmation from a relative of one of the other deceased, and this information was also circulated in local Telegram chats.

In connection with the crash, a criminal case has been initiated under Article 351 of the Russian Criminal Code, which pertains to violations of flight rules or preparatory regulations, as reported by the Russian Investigative Committee.

Search operations were conducted in the mountainous area where the crash reportedly occurred. These efforts involved military investigators, rescuers, police, and forensic experts, as reported by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti Crimea on April 1.

The state news agency TASS, citing its sources, noted that the aircraft crashed into a rock, resulting in no survivors.

At this time, no direct accusations have been made against Ukraine regarding the crash, and Kyiv has not claimed any involvement in the incident.

The death of Otrushchenko marks the 14th loss among Russian generals since the onset of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This event underscores the seriousness of the situation and the risks faced by the Russian armed forces amid ongoing conflict.